UNEMPLOYMENT has once again fallen in the city.

The number of people seeking work in Worcester has declined by 60 from last year to 975, which is a decline of 1,320 in the last 5 years according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics.

Of these, there are 230 jobseekers aged between 18 and 24 and this is down by 45 people from last year and 420 in the last 5 years.

Worcester Job Centre has worked with the Greene King Bluebell Farm pub being built in Nunnery Park.

There were 80 vacancies and these have been mostly filled as a result of training provided to support job seeking applicants, and through interviews.

Home Bargains were in Worcester Jobcentre on October 17 successfully interviewing for ten vacancies.

Robin Walker, MP for Worcester said: “It is really good to see the unemployment rate continuing to fall at both local and national level, especially given that the figures have been driven by increases in permanent and full-time work.”

“We’ve seen recently that 20,000 fewer people are reliant on zero-hour contracts this year, which is a sign of the shift to secure and stable employment that people want.”

“It is also great to see that the National Living Wage helped cut the number of workers on low pay by more than 300,000 last year and that the country witnessed the biggest year-on-year fall in low pay since 1977.

"In total, earnings for a full-time worker on the National Minimum Wage have increased by over £1,400 a year since the introduction of the National Living Wage.

“Combined with measures to take millions of people out of tax altogether through the Personal Allowance, this demonstrates the Government’s commitment to helping people into secure and well-paid employment and ensuring that they can then keep more of what they earn.”

In Malvern Hills, those collecting jobseekers allowance is the same as last year, standing at 440, a reduction of 520 in the last five years.

Of these there are 110 people aged between 18 and 24. This is down by 20 people from last year and down by 185 in the last 5 years.

Malvern Job Centre has been promoting filling seasonal retail vacancies for both employers, including this week for Prezzo and TAAAS.

Malvern hosted an RAF Outreach event on Monday with a group of young people, giving them the opportunity to improve their interview and team building skills.

The number of jobseekers has risen in the Wychavon District by 25 from last year to reach 660 but is down by 1,059 over the last five years.

Of the 660 jobseekers there are 145 people aged between 18 and 24. This figure is up by 5 on last year and down by 380 since 5 years ago

Evesham Job centre hosted a jobs fair on Friday October 6 which had 17 employers on site.

They also organised 30 recruitment interviews for the opening of Poundstretcher, which has resulted in eight potential job offers.

Female employment in the West Midlands is at a record high. Female employment is up 30,000 over the quarter to 1.26 million.

The employment level in the West Midlands has risen by 58,000 on the quarter.

Nationally, unemployment is down 52,000 on the quarter and remains at its lowest rate since 1975.

The employment rate 75.1 percent with 32.10 million people in work.